The Chinese leader maintained a hardline tone regarding Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Taiwan, which Xi told Biden were matters of “sovereignty and territorial integrity” that he hopes the United States will approach cautiously. Since then, relations between the two countries have plunged to their worst level in decades, with Trump blaming China for the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope the possibilities will now point toward an improvement of China-U.S. relations,” Xi told Biden, according to China’s Foreign Ministry. He also said there would be no quick moves to lift the tariffs the former Trump administration left in place against Chinese imports. The call came after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke by phone to top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi on Friday.

Source: Egypt Independent February 11, 2021 07:30 UTC